Episode Twenty Two - Geoldran Island (Part 1)

Chapter Song Suggestion "The Dawn of Utopia by Defrag"

*note : all dialogues like so {example} are spoken from the predator's perspective

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THE PAST | Eira

She needed a weapon. Everyone in her training squad had already decided on the type of cell reaper they were compatible with. Why was it so easy for them but not for her?

"Why the long face?" Freya Aridottir asked. Freya was one of the newer instructors who recently joined the Ustranaean military unit — an outgoing woman in her early thirties. Eira didn't understand why this woman sought to befriend her. It was obvious from how she tended to single her out and spend extra time together.

"I don't know what kind of reaper suits me," Eira admitted hesitantly.

"I understand why you're thinking hard about it. Our reapers are an extension of ourselves, and it's supposed to bring out the best of your abilities," Freya remarked, tapping on her chin. "It would be tougher on you because you're by far one of the most excellent students I have ever taught. Personally, I think you'll do fairly well with any reaper."

Eira's response was a faint smile. "I'm contemplating if I should choose a short or long-range weapon."

"Hmm…why don't you think of it in this way. Imagine that you are on a mission and your teammate is in danger. What is your first thought?"

"To protect and cover their backs."

Freya seemingly nodded. "Then a long-range weapon is more suitable for you. It's advisable to choose a reaper that resonates with your instincts. That way, you'll work in perfect sync."

"I'm adept with a bow and arrow," Eira suggested. "And if I were to save a life, I want my weapon to have a quick range attack with not a second to spare."

Freya grinned. "In the old era Roman mythology, the huntress Diana is the goddess of the wilderness and hunting and a protector of childbirth. You bear similar traits to her. If you represent Diana, then your reaper can be named the huntress – a symbolic representation of you."

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PRESENT DAY | THREE WEEKS LATER

Anaelle entered the gym, seeing the Captain sparring with Eira, a glimmer of undisguised happiness on both faces, although Lars's was more subdued. It didn't surprise her to find them together of late. It seemed Eira's near death experience had flipped a switch inside Lars, and whatever mysterious power was at work, had given them a second chance with Eira's memory loss — a do-over.

But it would be a matter of time before Eira recovered her memories. Oh well, even if she did, Eira never intended to give up on the Captain, even if Anaelle questioned her sanity for wanting a man who would deliberately hurt her. It made her question the Captain's past, and it dawned on Anaelle that none of them knew Lars's background, or what he was doing prior to being a Captain. If Eira was the only one who knew, then it would explain why she was unwilling to give up on him.

Anaelle liked how they were these days – more open and carefree. Eira had fully recovered and was as active as ever. If she wasn't exercising with Lars or Florian, she would be training her predator, Xue Long. The woman was a bundle of energy. Anaelle decided the old era phrase 'energizer bunny' was an apt description of her.

She glanced up in time to see Eira tackling the Captain in an impressive backflip, the duo locked in a heated stare. A simmering tension — the kind that got one hot and bothered— welled in the air. Anaelle decided to interrupt before they started making out in public. The sexual attraction between them was so thick, she could cut it with a butter knife, and if Anaelle was honest, it was starting to rub off on the other members. Florian and Koga had been out carousing every night, and it didn't take a genius to figure out the reason for their exceptionally good mood.

Clearing her throat loud enough to wake up the dead, Anaelle stood at the edge of the sparring mat. "There you are, Captain."

Lars and Eira tore apart like teenagers who had been caught doing something they shouldn't be.

Anaelle tamed her grin. "Captain, we've received a mission request from the research and development division." She tapped swiftly on her tablet. "To be more specific, it's a personal request from researcher Kaiser Ruff."

That name had Lars pausing in the act of wiping his sweat. "Ruff?"

"He made it a point to specifically request that you head this hunting mission."

"What's the target?"

"A Razer."

Eira took a swig off her water bottle, genuinely puzzled. "What's a Razer?"

"It's an apex predator. I've never seen one before, but it's noted as a five-star threat. One of the most threatening predators on Earth. The largest Razer our hunters ever encountered was approximately eight metres long and two metres wide. Razers are known to resemble the giant centipede from the old era, except they are hundreds of thousands more times bigger. The rumoured habitats are warm and damp tropics, so Kaiser is setting this mission on Geoldran Island. Oh, and before I forget, he also specified that he'll only require two members from our unit – you and another volunteer."

"I'll do it," Eira spoke up before Lars could say anything.

Two sets of eyes turned to her.

Lars frowned. "This mission might be too dangerous –"

"I can do it." Zero hesitance. "Did Kaiser Ruff specify that predator partners aren't allowed on the mission?"

Anaelle pulled a half-smile. "No, he didn't."

"Then problem solved," Eira stated as a matter-of-factly. "If we're going to hunt for a maximum threat predator, what better way to do it than with our predators' help?"

Lars conceded that she had a point. "Fine, but you have to stay with me at all times. Stay vigilant, and no reckless business with Xue Long."

Eira refrained from rolling her eyes. Ever since the unknown attack, Lars was controlling and being overprotective. She chalked it up to him experiencing a phase and was sure it would wane soon. Instead of disagreeing, she openly acknowledged, "Don't worry, I promise not to endanger myself. I don't have a death wish. I'll stick so close to you that you'll get sick of seeing me."

He doubted that was even possible.

As the two discussed amongst themselves, Anaelle saw the crossed fingers behind Eira's back. The poor Captain. He was being tamed and he didn't even know it. Eira truly did know him well.

When there was no further objection from Lars, Eira beamed victoriously at Anaelle. "Then we're all set. When do we leave?"

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"I've underestimated you, Captain Lars," Kaiser remarked pointedly, his gaze trained on the two predators in repose at the back of the phantom. "I've heard about those two, but I didn't expect you to bring them on this mission."

As if knowing someone was talking about them, Aeolus lazily peeked from under one eye before relaxing again.

"It isn't the Captain's fault. Aeolus and Xue Long were my idea," Eira spoke up. "I believe it would benefit us to have them track the Razer and in the event of danger, they could protect us. Predator hunting can be wildly unpredictable, and it's better to be safe than sorry." Eira stretched a hand towards him, radiating waves of vibrant energy. "It's nice to meet you. My name is Eira Ulva."

Kaiser studied the petite woman, openly gauging her abilities, his eyes dropping to her weapon. A flash of recognition hit him. "I know you. The Skocian huntress."

Eira was clueless to the nickname, though she wasn't offended that he recognized her weapon first. The huntress was an extension of her after all, and it had saved many lives. Perhaps he had decided she was worth his time and effort when he finally shook her hand.

"I will be frank," he declared. "If I hadn't known you were the huntress's wielder, I had serious doubts about your role in this mission. My condition of this hunt was to have experienced kill hunters on the team because not only are we hunting a dangerous apex but, Geoldran Island itself is riddled with all kinds of menacing threat. It's not because you're a woman but, I needed to know you can handle yourself out in the wilderness."

His bluntness made her realized he wasn't the kind of man to hold back on his thoughts. Unquestionably, her intuition foretold he didn't have many friends. After all, humans were funny creatures who disliked hearing the ugly truth. Kaiser resembled Lars in more than one ways. She found that she didn't mind. It was more preferable than false honesty. "And now you know who I am." The glow of humour on her face remained. Eira then tapped her canine. "Are those real?"

Kaiser blinked at her unexpected question, although he had received them often enough. "Yes, my teeth are real."

Despite his schooled temperament, Eira warmed up easily to him. "How amazing! I wish I had teeth like that."

Kaiser didn't know what to make of her, puzzled by her unrestrained friendliness. As a man who enjoyed silence and privacy, her boisterous nature was unsettling.

Lars noticed his predicament and unfolded from his seat. "Why are you hunting a Razer? It's rare for us to intently hunt an apex predator, let alone a five-star threat."

"I've been an active scientist in cell reaper development for years. Through plenty of research, I've concluded that I need a Razer's impenetrable exoskeleton to develop highly adaptable and new age weapons. An upgrade if you will. It will guarantee a breakthrough in reaper technology if I manage to create a Razer based weapon."

"Why did you choose me?" Lars didn't bother to mince words. This mission was assigned to him, first and foremost. He had the right to know what he and Eira were risking their lives for – and how to go about it.